Mathilda Kauppila (they/she) is a dance maker based in Finland.
They are fascinated by engaging their expertise in movement and body awareness into observing, sensing and designing social spaces, structures and dramaturgies. Their work has mainly taken place in the Eastern Finland (Kuopio, Joensuu, Kangasniemi) and has been supported by for example The Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Regional Dance Centre of Eastern Finland and Jenny & Antti Wihuri's Foundation.
Mathilda Kauppila studied dance, performance and movement research in The Norths Karelia College Outokumpu (2015-2017). Since then they have worked widely as performer, choreographer, community artist and movement educater around Finland.
Here are some of my latest and dearest works:
PELTO
consept: Jukka Ristolainen / Kokko1721 Residency & Hieho homma
2021-2023
A site specific drive-in spectacle on a field in small rural village in Kangasniemi, Finland. In this work the multidisciplinary working group researched the materiality and semiotics of a field. PELTO premiered on Kokko field in 2021 and will be remade to Ollinaho field Aug 2023.
s o f t s h i f t s
concept: Mathilda Kauppila / working group including: Heli Jauhiainen & Jaakko Arola
2022-2023
A performance installation that proposes rest, play and sensing. The working group Mathilda Kauppila (dance artist), Heli Jauhiainen (visual artist) and Jaakko Arola (musician-instrument builder) have been busy with exploring bodily co-regulation and slowly shifting landscapes.
mm it’s like but mm you know ?
solo work
2022
A performative landscape that invites one to a playful state of associating and grasping shared moments and intuitive knowledge beyond words.
Työkaluja tyhjäntoimittamiseen / Tools for idleness
solo project in artistic dialogue with Aura Savolainen
2021 – continuing
Mathilda Kauppila’s multi-disciplinary choreographic project that supports unproductivity and idleness. The project aims on normalizing rest and assuaging the stimulus flood. It seeks to recognize the social and political structures surrounding the phenomenom; for example how one’s ethnic background or economic capital affects the possibilities to choose unproductivity and be safe while practising it in public. Since 2021 this project has taken forms such as social choreography, performative lecture and poetic guide booklet.
Yhtä Matkaa
working group: Mathilda Kauppila, Teo Mattila, Jussi Ulkuniemi
2019-2021
A community art project organised together with The Centre for Palliative Care in Joensuu (Siun Sote). The working group proposed body awareness, movement and creative practices and sharing their story through photographing for people working in palliative care, people in palliative care and their close ones. The project ended in an event series of photography installation, performances and a panel discussion.
They are fascinated by engaging their expertise in movement and body awareness into observing, sensing and designing social spaces, structures and dramaturgies. Their work has mainly taken place in the Eastern Finland (Kuopio, Joensuu, Kangasniemi) and has been supported by for example The Arts Promotion Centre Finland, The Finnish Cultural Foundation, The Regional Dance Centre of Eastern Finland and Jenny & Antti Wihuri's Foundation.
Mathilda Kauppila studied dance, performance and movement research in The Norths Karelia College Outokumpu (2015-2017). Since then they have worked widely as performer, choreographer, community artist and movement educater around Finland.
Here are some of my latest and dearest works:
PELTO
consept: Jukka Ristolainen / Kokko1721 Residency & Hieho homma
2021-2023
A site specific drive-in spectacle on a field in small rural village in Kangasniemi, Finland. In this work the multidisciplinary working group researched the materiality and semiotics of a field. PELTO premiered on Kokko field in 2021 and will be remade to Ollinaho field Aug 2023.
s o f t s h i f t s
concept: Mathilda Kauppila / working group including: Heli Jauhiainen & Jaakko Arola
2022-2023
A performance installation that proposes rest, play and sensing. The working group Mathilda Kauppila (dance artist), Heli Jauhiainen (visual artist) and Jaakko Arola (musician-instrument builder) have been busy with exploring bodily co-regulation and slowly shifting landscapes.
mm it’s like but mm you know ?
solo work
2022
A performative landscape that invites one to a playful state of associating and grasping shared moments and intuitive knowledge beyond words.
Työkaluja tyhjäntoimittamiseen / Tools for idleness
solo project in artistic dialogue with Aura Savolainen
2021 – continuing
Mathilda Kauppila’s multi-disciplinary choreographic project that supports unproductivity and idleness. The project aims on normalizing rest and assuaging the stimulus flood. It seeks to recognize the social and political structures surrounding the phenomenom; for example how one’s ethnic background or economic capital affects the possibilities to choose unproductivity and be safe while practising it in public. Since 2021 this project has taken forms such as social choreography, performative lecture and poetic guide booklet.
Yhtä Matkaa
working group: Mathilda Kauppila, Teo Mattila, Jussi Ulkuniemi
2019-2021
A community art project organised together with The Centre for Palliative Care in Joensuu (Siun Sote). The working group proposed body awareness, movement and creative practices and sharing their story through photographing for people working in palliative care, people in palliative care and their close ones. The project ended in an event series of photography installation, performances and a panel discussion.
Header photo: Karoliina Gavrilov
